294 MISTS. [CHAP.V. 



noon soundings were obtained in ninety-four 

 fathoms, with a bottom of green mud, which im- 

 plied a change of situation ; still the weather 

 was so misty from small snow incessantly falling, 

 that no land could be made out. The narrow 

 lanes closed quietly. The temperature was 20° + 

 at the north, and 29° + facing the south. About 

 4 h p. m. the land was in sight from S. E. by S. to 

 N. W., distant at the nearest part about three 

 miles. Nothing occurred during the night, 

 beyond a slight rumbling of the ice to the east 

 about the turn of the tide. 



March 27th. The weather was tolerably fine, 

 though misty from the same cause as before. 

 The land was barely visible. We were now 

 separated only by a narrow breadth of bay ice 

 from the tidal wall, which was ground perfectly 

 smooth, curving very gently to a distant point ; 

 and, on looking carefully at the shore ice, we 

 were delighted to observe the surface much 

 clearer and more free from points and inequalities. 

 There certainly could not have been the same 

 sort of grinding and confusion here, as we had 

 so lamentably experienced to the north-west. 



When Mount Minto bore S. S. W. |W., sound- 

 ings were found in one hundred and twenty 

 fathoms, the ground being yellow mud, with 

 small pebbles of felspar. A single raven flew 

 round the ship, and again made for the land 



